What’s the Story with Australasian Bittern at Te Waihora ?
MATUKU • Nationally critical • Specialist, apex predator • Elusive, cryptic traveler • Boom 2
Matuku and Te Waihora Photo credit- Lynette Harris 3
Why Te Waihora? • Extensive and varied habitat Harts Creek, Irwell river, Yarrs flat, Lakeside, Boggy creek, Halswell river, LII river • Food availability • Sparse and low human disturbance • Where else is there to go?! 4
So how are we helping? The Bittern Project • 2014- Ecan and DOC partnership Aims- • Develop methods to find and monitor • Define threats • Educate ourselves for informed decision making • Begin predator control at Harts Creek 5 Photo credit- Sarah Crump
Predator traplines Harts Creek ~ 400 predators removed since 2015 DOC 200 and 250 Timms traps Goodnature A12 Newly installed lines at Lakeside and Halswell River mouth 6
What have we found so far? Call monitoring Listening stations- Harts Creek and Timber yard point, LII river mouth, Halswell river mouth Acoustic recorder sites- Taumutu, Lakeside reserve, Boggy Creek and Irwell river. 7
What have we found so far? 8
What have we found so far? Tx 19 9
Restoring bittern habitat 10
What are we still unsure about? Harriers! Photo credit- Sarah Crump 11
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